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Riders should plan ahead and prepare for rerouted bus service and potential delays on Saturday, July 27, from about 3 p.m. to 10:30 p.m., as Metro Transitshifts 35 bus routes in the Seattle Center, downtown Seattle and Alaskan Way Viaduct areas for the SeafairTorchlight fun runs and parade.

Other transit and traffic delays can be expected Saturday as a major event at Key Arena lets out, the Capitol Hill Block Party rocks on and the Mariners are in Seattle.

Ride transit to Torchlight

While most buses that operate on surface streets in the Seattle Center and downtown Seattle areas will be rerouted, riding transit is still the best way to get to these events, as traffic will be congested and parking downtown will be limited. Rerouted buses go to within one or two blocks of the parade route.

Friday-Sunday: Pine Street weekend bus service revisions

Part of the impacts start Friday evening, July 26, when Pine Street bus service is rerouted until midday Sundaydue to the grandstand placement at Fourth Avenue.

Saturday evening bus service revisions

While the parade begins at 7:30 p.m., transit service changes begin earlier. From about 6 p.m. Saturday, July 27, until the end of the parade, the entire length of Fourth Avenue in downtown Seattle will be closed, and nearly all east/west streets will also be blocked at Fourth Avenue. Many buses will be rerouted and there will likely be schedule delays. Delays in one area can cause delays at other points along a bus’s routing.

During the Seafair Torchlight Run events, starting prior to the parade at about 5:30 p.m., the northbound Alaskan Way Viaduct will be closed for about one hour until the runners clear that area. Northbound Viaduct buses will operate via I-5 during this time. The southbound Viaduct is not affected and will remain open.

Starting at 6 p.m., while the Seattle Center area is affected by parade activities, Metro will operate a Route 4 shuttle about every 20 minutes to and from Nob Hill Avenue. At Seattle Center board the Route 4 shuttle northbound on First Avenue North, just south of Republican Street. It will serve all regularly posted bus stops along its route.

Also starting at 6 p.m. – and until traffic and crowds clear afterward – Metro bus routes 120, 124, 125, 131 and 132 will serve a temporary bus stop southbound on Third Avenue between Pike and Union streets, instead of their usual stop between Pine and Pike streets. South of Union Street they will serve their regularly posted stops along Third Avenue.

Most transit service will return to its regular routing and stops at 10:30 p.m., except Pine Street service will remain rerouted until about midday Sunday when the parade grandstand is removed.

Transit Information

Visit the Metro Online Service Advisories page to find out how your bus will be affected and what stops it will serve during this event. Use regularly published transit schedules on Saturday, but expect possible delays due to expected heavy traffic and crowds.

For complete information about transit service, or to plan a trip, visit Metro Online. The Trip Planner provides information about scheduled service and stops, and does not take event-related service revisions into account. After planning your trip, check Metro’s Service Advisories pageto find out about any planned revisions to routes.

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